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Memphis Grizzlies Mid-Season Report

Ken Blaze / USA TODAY Sports

The Memphis Grizzlies leave the All-Star Break with a 35-22 record and hold the second seed in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies picture a long playoff run, carrying two All-Stars of their own and a hungry group of reserves.

The Grizzlies possess a sense of bravado, some might call it brashness, in their playing style. Whatever you want to call it, recently, their behavior has been the focus. The team of talented young players accelerated all the way to the second seed in the Western Conference and a loss to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors last year.

The Western Conference is up for grabs right now and the second half of the season will be an unpredictable jockeying for playoff spots. The Grizzlies are in danger of getting lost in the proverbial smoke, partly because they’re the ones spinning the tires.

The Up’s And Down’s 

Whether organic or manufactured, motivation is a powerful force in this sport. The Grizzlies came into the year feeling slighted by seemingly everyone and were not shy to talking about it. It’s clear they wanted everyone to know about the chip on their shoulder.

Head coach Taylor Jenkins’ squad crawled out to a 12-9 record in the new campaign and it didn’t look like it would be a cakewalk for the team this season. Whatever concerns trickled in soon dissipated. A quick turnaround propelled them to seven straight victories and, by mid-January, held a 31-13 record. 

The Grizzlies, like in years past, rely heavily on their defensive ability by limiting opponents’ shots at the rim with their size, length, and physicality. The Grizzlies have earned a top-five defensive rating this season. They are anchored by Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. 

 Ja Morant has looked to be as dynamic as ever offensively. The first good sign was no lingering effects from the knee injury that sidelined the two-time All-Star at the end of the playoffs last year.

Stepping Up

The rise of his backcourt teammate Desmond Bane as a secondary scorer and shot-creator has been a welcome addition. The third-year guard from TCU averages over 20 points per game on 46.5% from the field and 42.3% from three, those numbers coming despite of an injury that kept him out of seventeen games this year.

The Grizzlies have done a good job at surviving the minutes Morant isn’t on the court throughout his short career. A strong bench unit has anchored this team in the past. The Grizzlies were ranked sixth in bench-scoring team last year, however have now fallen to twelfth this season.

Brandon Clarke and Tyus Jones are both having a consistent seasons even with their bench losing a little luster.  The Grizzlies front office continues to add and develop players at a high rate, most fans of the team have noticed this. Santi Aldama, David Roddy, and Jake LaRavia have been brought along and continue to develop into their roles on the team.

Getting Back On Track

The All-Star Break came at what looks to be the right time. The team limped and sputtered, losing nine out of their last thirteen games. The main problem has been that the offensive has plummeted. The Grizzlies have fallen all the way to 22nd in offensive rating in their last fifteen games. Much of this has been attributed to the loss of center Steven Adams and his presence on the offensive glass. Adams has missed eleven straight contests with a PCL sprain in his right knee. 

The Grizzlies pivoted and added shooting with Luke Kennard despite calls to acquire a player like OG Anunoby in the aftermath of the Kevin Durant trade. The acquisition of Kennard wasn’t headline-grabbing because it’s one that favors future roster flexibility. The transaction is low-risk and helps to fill a need for one of the poorest three-point shooting teams in the league.

Fortunately or unfortunately for the Grizzlies, their poor play has been overlooked due to some widely publicized incidents. The first involved Ja’s father, Tee Morant, at a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on January 20th.

The Athletic reported about an altercation with Indiana Pacers personnel in the bus area, resulting in an investigation by the NBA about a week and a half later. The Dillon Brooks suspension for hitting Donovan Mitchell in the groin didn’t help an already concerning reputation.  

Ultimately the only thing standing in the way of the Grizzlies is whatever obstacle they put in front of themselves. The Grizzlies still own the second-best record in the West.  The organization also has the added benefit of knowing what kind of team they are. An defensive unit with hardened backbone is a worthwhile identity to lean back on, especially in the playoffs.

 

 

 

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